What price loyalty TalkTalk? Feeling disappointed, disgruntled and pretty disgusted.

[DennisD51]

I've stuck with your company for 16 years now, and that's no mean achievement when I think back to how unreliable and problematic the service was back around 2006.

But is loyalty worth anything to this company? I think not.

Firstly you increase the price of a "Fixed Price" contract during the contract, and no matter which excuse you use that's a despicable thing to do. And to give you a comparison as to how underhand that move was, I have a "Fixed Price" contract with British Gas for combined fuel which I took out  before all this price increase "nonsense" started.

I had an email from them today telling me not to worry about the ongoing situation re price hikes including Ofgem planning to raise the price cap later this week as British Gas will be honoring my "Fixed Price" contract until November 2023.

That's what a "Fixed Price" contract means, not something you can manipulate when you feel like it. It's either fixed or it isn't. And yours isn't.

And to add insult to injury, today I had a look in my online account to see what the latest offers were for me as my current Fibre65 contract runs out next month. My last emailed bill suggested I check my account for the latest offers.

One of the offers "Especially chosen for me!!" was a renewal of my Fibre 65 Broadband for £29 per month with a big blue button under the £29 saying "Re-contract now".

At the same time (today 22nd Aug), you're advertising Fibre65 Broadband online for £25 per month until the 31st August.

So what's this about TalkTalk? You're gonna charge a long serving customer £4 per month more than any new individual who wants to sign up.

Why on earth should I be offered a more expensive contract? I just can't get my head around that. I wonder how many other long term regulars have been treated like this?

One final comment is that I understand you have a "Loyalty Team" residing somewhere now. I think I should be talking to them.

Thanks for reading,

Dennis

[Gondola]

Hi DennisD51 

Grateful thanks for the positive feedback and even better to know you negotiated a good deal with Fixed Price Plus included. Your topic will be really helpful to others.

[DennisD51]

As promised guys, an update.

Eventually got hold of an extremely helpful guy from the Loyalty Team, and ended up with an 18 month contract at a very attractive price which included the first month for free. It's also a TalkTalk+ "No Increase" deal.

So I have plenty to thank you for which I do sincerely.

I'll mark Gondola's post as "Solved" as that post contained the relevant telephone numbers, although I appreciate all of your responses equally.

Thanks again, and take care all.  🙂

[Gondola · Accepted solution]

Hi Dennis

On the fixed price contract issue. TalkTalk do have a product called Fixed Price Plus. For an extra amount each month the Fixed Price Plus product is a guarantee of no mid-contract price rises and the out of contract price is the same as the in-contract price with annual inflation only rises once out of the initial term contract.

But the way to handle this in negotiation is to get the lowest price possible offer and then accept only if Fixed Price Plus is included free as part of the deal. If the Loyalty / Better Value team aren't willing to play ball then you'll include your research on other providers that are offering guaranteed fixed price deals and probably be put through to the Retentions team for the best ever offer.

Good negotiating.

[DennisD51]

Well guys, thank you all very much for your responses. Appreciated.

I won't bash on anymore about the fixed contracts which aren't, only to say other providers are providing genuine fixed contracts and are actually stipulating that they won't be increased in any way during their duration. One in the eye to TalkTalk I think.

Honestly, I have never in all these years heard of a Loyalty Team. I've usually just phoned customer services and negotiated a decent contract, but the recent breaching of the "fixed" aspect, and then seeing that pretty insulting in-account offer "especially for me", had me 95% decided to move suppliers. A shame I thought, because my Fibre65 has been superb since it became known as that, and the Fibre broadband in general during the almost 6 years I've been on it has been nothing but good.

Coming to this forum to pass on my thoughts and get some responses was a final move really. Over the years I've always had an amazingly good experience here, with first rate help from the TalkTalk reps and one or two other members.

It's turned out to be a good move as I'm now confident, with the info you guys have given me, that I'll be able to sort out a sensible new deal via the Loyalty Team.

Thank you all again, and I'll post back how things turn out. From my experience of modding on another forum, I always found it nice when someone you offer help and advice to actually comes back with an update. Sadly those people were in the minority.

Take care all. 🙂

Dennis

[AllyM]

@DennisD51 ,

The decision to abandon the fixed price guarantee was a morally questionable one but completely legal. As per the terms and conditions of the contract, we had the option to leave without penalty or to negotiate a new contract with the Loyalty Team. I saw several people post on here that they had ended up with a better deal than they had before the event.

TalkTalk's online renewal system is a shambles. As others have said, the deals offered are not necessarily the cheapest ones and the system seems to have a few bugs also - I've seen people post about renewals not going through or unwanted extras being added etc.

You should indeed be talking to the Loyalty Team, who have been around for many years. Many of us contact them each time our contract is due for renewal to discuss and negotiate the best deal. Not sure what you have been doing.

[Gondola]

Hi DennisD51 

What you see in your MyAccount is only an offer. It's not necessarily the best offer and you don't have to take up the offer.

Yes you're right that there is a 'Loyalty Team / Better Value Renewals Team' and a Retentions Team that usually have offers and deals to equal or beat those deals offered to new customers.

Opening hours are here:  When to contact TalkTalk?

Calls to Customer Services Loyalty team on 0345 172 0088, Better value contract renewals and cancellations on 0345 172  5157, if you're thinking of leaving, and Future Fibre enquiries on 0345 172 0074 to upgrade to full fibre are free from a TalkTalk home 'phone but otherwise are at a standard landline call rate.

[Gliwmaeden2]

Just phone or use Chat, @DennisD51.

Online offers tend not to be the best.

Phone or chat:

https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Articles/Ways-of-contacting-us/ta-p/2230529

See opening hours on that page too.